Legislature(2019 - 2020)CAPITOL 106
04/25/2019 08:00 AM House TRIBAL AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB78 | |
| HJR19 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 78 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON TRIBAL AFFAIRS
April 25, 2019
8:07 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky, Chair
Representative John Lincoln
Representative Dan Ortiz
Representative Chuck Kopp
Representative Dave Talerico
Representative Sarah Vance
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Bryce Edgmon, Vice Chair
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 78
"An Act establishing May 31 of each year as Katie John Day."
- MOVED HCS SB 78(TRB) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19
Urging the United States Congress to fully fund the United
States Census Bureau for the 2020 Census; urging the governor to
prioritize an accurate count for the 2020 Census; and urging
local governments to establish local complete count commissions.
- MOVED CSHJR 19(TRB) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 78
SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISH MAY 31 AS KATIE JOHN DAY
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) BISHOP
03/06/19 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/06/19 (S) STA
03/29/19 (S) STA WAIVED PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE,RULE
23
04/04/19 (S) STA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
04/04/19 (S) Moved SB 78 Out of Committee
04/04/19 (S) MINUTE(STA)
04/05/19 (S) STA RPT 4DP
04/05/19 (S) DP: SHOWER, KAWASAKI, COGHILL, MICCICHE
04/12/19 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
04/12/19 (S) VERSION: SB 78
04/15/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/15/19 (H) TRB
04/25/19 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
BILL: HJR 19
SHORT TITLE: SUPPORT 2020 DECENNIAL CENSUS
SPONSOR(s): TRIBAL AFFAIRS
04/24/19 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/24/19 (H) TRB, CRA
04/25/19 (H) TRB AT 8:00 AM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR CLICK BISHOP
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented SB 78.
KATHRYN MARTIN
Ahtna, Inc.
Glennallen, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of SB 78.
MICHELLE ANDERSON, President
Ahtna, Inc.
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT:
BRUCE CAIN
Glennallen, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: testified during the hearing on SB 78.
GRACE SINGH, Staff
Representative Tiffany Zulkosky
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Presented HJR 19 on behalf of
Representative Zulkosky, prime sponsor.
GREG BRINGHURST, Director
Public Policy and External Affairs
Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HJR 19.
MIKE WALSH, Ph.D., Vice President
Public Policy
The Foraker Group
City & State
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HJR 19.
NILS ANDREASSEN, Executive Director
Alaska Municipal League (AML)
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified regarding the importance of HJR
19 to AML members.
ACTION NARRATIVE
8:07:52 AM
CHAIR TIFFANY ZULKOSKY called the House Special Committee on
Tribal Affairs meeting to order at 8:07 a.m. Representatives
Vance, Ortiz, Lincoln, and Zulkosky were present at the call to
order. Representatives Talerico and Kopp arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
SB 78-ESTABLISH MAY 31 AS KATIE JOHN DAY
8:08:47 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY announced that the first order of business would
be SENATE BILL NO. 78, "An Act establishing May 31 of each year
as Katie John Day."
8:09:07 AM
SENATOR CLICK BISHOP, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented SB 78. He acknowledged Representative Foster
for sponsoring a companion bill in the House. He paraphrased
the sponsor statement, which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Athabascan elder Katie John was well known for her
determination and persistence in defense of Alaska
Native customary and traditional hunting, fishing, and
gathering rights. She was a mentor to many Alaskans
through her teachings, humor, gentle spirit and loving
ways. Katie John is an Alaska icon who devoted her
life to protect the traditions of her ancestral
homeland. Katie John died May 31, 2013. She was 97
years old.
Katie John lived in Mentasta Lake and was raised to
live off the land under the tutelage of her mother,
grandmother and other elders of her community. She was
a consummate teacher and was always willing to share
her ancestral traditions, culture and history. She was
well known and respected throughout Alaska and around
the world for her advocacy of Native rights.
Katie John was a member of the Ahtna Regional Native
Corporation. According to Ahtna President Michelle
Anderson, "Every great culture in the world is known
by their traditional foods and the survival of a
culture depends on the people's ability to gather
those foods. Katie fought for our right to access our
traditional homelands because she knew that we need to
be able to feed our families. It was a matter of
cultural and human survival."
Always passionate about preserving the Athabascan
culture and language, Katie John was involved in
teaching her Native language since 1974 and helped
create the alphabet for the Ahtna dialect. She
received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the
University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2011. Katie John and
her husband, Chief Fred John, who died in 2000, raised
14 children and 6 foster children. She leaves behind
approximately 250 grandchildren, great-grandchildren
and great-great-grandchildren.
Due to her impressive role in protecting ancestral
traditions in Alaska, SB 78 will establish the date of
May 31 as Katie John Day in honor of her memory. This
bill is a simple yet fitting tribute to a powerful
woman who cherished the Alaskan way of life.
SENATOR BISHOP shared the reason for the selection of May 31 as
the date to honor Ms. John is not because she died that day, but
because that is the first day in spring that she could put fish
wheels in the Copper River.
8:12:00 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY opened public testimony on SB 78.
8:12:21 AM
KATHRYN MARTIN, Ahtna, Inc., stated that she is a grandchild of
Katie John and expressed appreciation to Senator Bishop and
Representative Foster for the efforts to honor her grandmother
for all her accomplishments.
8:13:26 AM
MICHELLE ANDERSON, President, Ahtna, Inc., described her
pleasure in fulfilling the simple request for picked berries Ms.
John made when she was in the hospital, especially considering
all Ms. John had done for Alaska Natives. She expressed
appreciation for the work done by Senator Bishop and
Representative Foster and their staff, who have advocated for
this legislation. Ms. Anderson stated her belief that Ms. John
is a hero to all in Alaska who practice and believe in
subsistence. She said she thinks it is right and fitting to
recognize Ms. John's name on the calendar for all she has done.
She said this would be a legacy to pass down for generations.
She said Ms. John welcomed anyone who wanted to learn about "our
culture and our way of life." She said it is difficult not to
become emotional when this issue is brought up "every single
year." She said there are few people in the state who have done
what Ms. John has done.
8:16:07 AM
BRUCE CAIN stated that although he serves as president of Copper
Valley Chamber of Commerce, he was testifying on behalf of
himself. He reflected that he used to drive 100 miles to attend
prayer meetings held by Ms. John. He shared that he was wearing
the last pair of moccasins made by Ms. John in her mid-90s. He
described Ms. John as a wonderful, loving human being. He
stated that she was well-loved by the community.
8:18:51 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY, after ascertaining that there was no one else
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on SB 78.
8:19:15 AM
SENATOR BISHOP indicated that he sought to have the proposed
legislation amended to provide for an immediate effective date
so that it can be presented to Ms. John's family and the Ahtna
people in order for them to have a celebration on [May] 31.
8:19:51 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN moved to adopt Conceptual Amendment 1, to
establish an immediate effective date for SB 78. There being no
objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted.
8:20:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN moved to report SB 78, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
zero fiscal note. There being no objection, HCSSB 78(TRB) was
reported out of the House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs.
8:20:29 AM
The committee took an at-ease from 8:20 a.m. to 8:22 a.m.
HJR 19-SUPPORT 2020 DECENNIAL CENSUS
8:22:49 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY announced that the final order of business would
be HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 19, Urging the United States
Congress to fully fund the United States Census Bureau for the
2020 Census; urging the governor to prioritize an accurate count
for the 2020 Census; and urging local governments to establish
local complete count commissions.
8:23:10 AM
GRACE SINGH, Staff, Representative Tiffany Zulkosky, presented
HJR 19 on behalf of Representative Zulkosky, prime sponsor. She
said Alaska receives $3.2 billion in federal funding each year,
and the receipt of that funding is tied to U.S. Census data.
She said the maintenance of that federal funding during times of
budget constraint is critical to Alaska's economy. Lack of
accurate census data "discourages investments in communities
across the state." Organizations across the state rely on the
funds. The undercounting of Alaskans in the U.S. Census can
result in a loss of $3,000 per person annually, which amounts to
$30,000 per person over a 10-year period. She said Alaska is
considered one of the most difficult states to count in the U.S.
Census because of its geographic, language, and connectivity
barriers.
MS. SINGH stated that Alaska needs a count commission that can
prioritize an accurate count of the population "before starting
conversations about how the data will be used." She concluded,
"As the 2020 Census launches its count in Toksook Bay, on
January 21, 2020, it is imperative that Alaska's leadership at
all levels of government prioritize an accurate count."
8:25:06 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY related that HJR 19 was crafted in response to a
presentation heard by the House Community and Regional Affairs
Standing Committee on Tuesday.
8:25:23 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted that the Department of Commerce,
Community & Economic Development (DCCED) uses information from
the U.S. Census for state revenue sharing purposes.
8:26:34 AM
GREG BRINGHURST, Director, Public Policy and External Affairs,
Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA), testified in support of HJR
19. He said the data gained through the U.S. Census is used to
determine allocations for many programs, including those
pertaining to roads, transportation, housing programs, water and
wastewater systems, education, and substance abuse prevention
and treatment. He said CIHA believes that HJR 19 would support
the ongoing efforts in Alaska to ensure a complete and accurate
count. He expressed appreciation for language in the joint
resolution that encourages participation and coordination with
the State of Alaska, as well as encouraging local governments to
establish complete count commissions (CCCs), many of which are
ongoing or being established currently. He said a CCC is an
excellent way for tribal and local governments to "coordinate
and cooperate with the U.S. Census Borough in a formal way."
Local knowledge can be used to build trust in communities and
educate residents on why the U.S. Census really matters and to
promote full participation.
8:29:57 AM
MIKE WALSH, Ph.D., Vice President, Public Policy, The Foraker
Group, testified in support of HJR 29. He relayed his
involvement with the Alaska Census Work Group. He echoed the
point about Alaska being difficult to count in the U.S. Census
because of its remote locations. He stated that The Foraker
Group believes HJR 19 emphasizes the importance of a fair and
accurate count, highlights the important role the federal
government plays in funding the U.S. Census Borough effort and
the essential role of the state in engaging all Alaskans to be
counted, and brings attention to the importance of local
governments to establish the CCCs. He expressed appreciation
for the related discussion heard during the joint meeting of the
House Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee and the
House Special Committee on Tribal Affairs early this week.
8:32:24 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY opened public testimony on HJR 19.
8:32:39 AM
NILS ANDREASSEN, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League
(AML), emphasized the importance of ensuring an accurate count
in the U.S. Census. He listed the amounts other states are
considering investing toward ensuring a complete count:
Colorado, $12 million; Virginia, $1.5 million; Maryland, $4
million; Washington, $12 million; Nevada, $5 million;
California, $90 million; and North Carolina, $1.5 million. He
said even though the Office of Management & Budget has confirmed
the availability of "some" funding, he feels HJR 19 and the
legislature's support of a complete count is important. He said
AML is encouraged that the CCC includes local governments but
encourages "increased and meaningful cooperation and
coordination" between the Office of the Governor, the United
States Census Bureau, and AML. Mr. Andreassen related that AML
is offering incentives to local governments to form CCCs and
will continue to do so in the next months. More importantly,
AML will encourage communities to try to change the numbers from
the 2010 United States Census. He expressed AML's support of
"your" efforts.
8:34:49 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY, after ascertaining that there was no one else
who wished to testify, closed public testimony on HJR 19.
8:35:05 AM
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE moved to adopt Amendment 1 to HJR 19, as
follows:
On page 3, line 3:
Following "shall be sent to"
Insert "Governor Michael J. Dunleavy"
There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
8:35:55 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN moved to report HJR 19, as amended, out
of committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying zero fiscal note.
8:36:10 AM
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO objected for the purpose of discussion.
He emphasized the importance of an accurate census toward
ensuring equal representation throughout Alaska. He then
removed his objection.
8:37:09 AM
CHAIR ZULKOSKY announced that there being no further objection
[CSHJR 19(TRB)] was reported out of the House Special Committee
on Tribal Affairs.
8:37:44 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the
Special Committee on Tribal Affairs meeting was adjourned at
8:38 a.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Census 2020 Sponsor Statement .pdf |
HTRB 4/25/2019 8:00:00 AM |
|
| SB 78 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HTRB 4/25/2019 8:00:00 AM |
SB 78 |
| SB0078A.PDF |
HTRB 4/25/2019 8:00:00 AM |
SB 78 |
| HJR019A.PDF |
HTRB 4/25/2019 8:00:00 AM |
HJR 19 |